advice

[Joepl]

Hi All. First time on here. I’m currently being worked up at Boston VA hospital for a kidney transplant. Being a veteran, the VA will pay for transplant at a community hospital here in Boston. I’m not sure exactly what to expect… any thoughts? Thanks in advance

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

Welcome. The thing to expect is to wait. The work up is very extensive and they test for EVERYTHING. I should say they did for me. They took 22 vials of blood in one session. I had chest Xrays and then a nuclear test for heart issues. I had to go to the dentist and have them sign off and also a female exam and that had more tests. If you get through all the tests and pass everything, then you wait. Not sure what the wait time is for your hospital. I then have to maintain the tests and redo them as they are limited in their time. If you have a live donor, they will push you through faster. If you are waiting on a cadaver, expect at least 2 years or more and that is all your tests and weight stay the same. This is a general wait time. Not sure what yours will be but they will tell you once you pass everything.

Good luck and be patient.

[Joepl in reply to Bassetmommer]

Thanks for your response. I have one more appointment for work up, then the VA needs to approve before sending info to community hospital to hopefully get listed soon. I was wondering if there are any veterans here going through the same process…

[RHOC]

Oh, that's great!! I've been listed for about a year and a half and it's rough but I'm sure things will work out , Just have faith in your doctor's!! Good luck with everything😉

[horsie63]

I'm a veteran but not going through the VA, not many around here where I live. My brother, also a veteran was being tested as a donor through the VA in Biloxi. He didn't pass but it's the same work up at the VA. Lots of blood taken, lungs checked, heart checked, review of your meds. I'm listed through KU and they tell me the wait for a deceased donor is 2 to 2 1/2 years.

[barbara55109]

Wait times vary so much. 6 years for me in Minnesota.

[Joepl in reply to barbara55109]

Hi Barbara. So, are you still on waitlist, waiting for kidney?

[barbara55109 in reply to Joepl]

Yep. I've been waiting 2 years and 2 months. They told me 6 is average for my blood type.

[Darlenia in reply to Joepl]

Please be mindful that wait lists at centers may vary - the wait list may be very long or, in some cases, quite short. After we discovered our closest transplant center had a very long wait list, my hubby double-listed at another hospital a few hours away that did lots of transplants and had a shorter list. While there, he agreed to consider a deceased kidney that had conditions - in my hubby's case that turned out to be a kidney from an older gentleman with a fungal condition and he wasn't found until sometime after death. So my hubby's wait was exactly one year from the start of dialysis to transplant. The kidney is working well. In your case, you likely may experience some limitations since you're staying with the VA. Here are two sites that are very useful in evaluating the centers. The first one is easy to use, the other has more complex information and is run by a fellow kidney transplant person: srtr.org/transplant-centers... and txmultilisting.com/home.htm

[Joepl]

Thanks Darlenia. For me the VA will pay for transplant anywhere I choose… I’m being steered towards Mass General Hospital in Boston or another… I clicked on link you sent but found it to be a bit confusing, but thanks so much. Good luck to your husband and you too

[PeaB4YouGo]

During a recent phone call with the intake nurse at Mayo Clinic in MN, she informed me of a site ( srtr.org/ ) where a person can go and see how their transplant center ranks in the US. I'm not sure if there are sites like this for Europe, Asia, etc...

Using this site, I'd say you might consider Univ-of-Mass in Worcester, MA.

[Joepl]

thanks for that… do you know how up to date that info is?

[Joepl]

Hi has anyone with ckd 3-4 been prescribed empagliflozin (Jardiance). If so, any comments?

[Blackknight1989]

according to all the latest research (last 4/5 years) SGLT2 inhibitors are the newest “gold standard” to help slow down if not halt (for some period of time at least) CKD progression.

“SGLT2 inhibitors are effective at slowing the progression of kidney disease, reducing heart failure, and lowering the risk of kidney failure and death in people with CKD and type 2 diabetes. SGLT2 inhibitors also protect the kidneys in people with CKD who do not have diabetes.Jan 14, 2022”

SGLT2 inhibitors are effective at slowing the progression of kidney disease, reducing heart failure, and lowering the risk of kidney failure and death in people with CKD and type 2 diabetes. SGLT2 inhibitors also protect the kidneys in people with CKD who do not have diabetes.

Source:

National Kidney Foundation Jan 14, 2022